


Cold and Dark, Come Unlock My Heart

by ForeverKickingandScreaming



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Riverdale (TV) Fusion, Angst, Blood and Violence, Enemies to Friends, F/F, Forced Partners, Gore, Multi, Murder Mystery, Other, Sexy Times, bitchy cheryl, dominant toni, submissive cheryl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23296750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverKickingandScreaming/pseuds/ForeverKickingandScreaming
Summary: A series of murders in Riverdale force homicide detective Toni Topaz to come face to face with an old foe, all while dealing with her feelings for a sexy FBI agent who came to take over her case.
Relationships: Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Comments: 17
Kudos: 89





	1. Part 1

“Topaz you’re late,” Toni heard as she rushed onto the crime scene. It wasn’t always like this, her being late, but life has been weird and she’s been caught up with things. 

“No shit Kevin, thanks for that important update.”

She ducked underneath the yellow caution tape and saw the mess before her. Tables and chairs were knocked around, napkins and straws littered the floor and there was blood. Everywhere. 

“There was definitely some kind of struggle here.” 

“If you think this is bad you should see the back of the restaurant. There’s a whole person in the freezer.” Kevin said as he started tagging the droplets of blood splattered around with little white flags. 

Toni kept walking through the scene trying to visually absorb the carnage. Displays were broken. Machines had parts littered all over the floor. A dead girl sat cross-legged in the huge walk-in freezer surrounded by ice and blood. 

“Nice to see you in the morning for a change, Topaz.”

“We’re at a homicide Jughead, maybe try not to sound so excited.”

“Aren’t you the one always saying I need to find the bright side of things?” He snapped a quick picture of the girl. 

“If I’m saying shit like that now you should kill me.”

“In due time Topaz, in due time.”

Their banter had been better since they stopped being partners. They were too dissimilar, too alike. They fought and fucked and fought again. It was both too close to home and too far from real. When Toni got a promotion things got better, they no longer were down each other necks and Toni could take out frustrations and celebrations elsewhere. 

Definitely that girl last night helped. Helped this morning too. She didn’t help with Toni’s terrible time management though. 

Toni’s eyes drifted back to the young girl in the freezer. She was about the same age as Toni and had similar style too. Black leather jacket, crop-top and fishnets. It was almost the same style she’d be wearing if she wasn’t forced to be in a pant suit. They had something else in common too - a tattoo. A snake tattoo to be in fact. 

“Jug! Take a look at this!”

Toni heard him come up behind her but she was focused on the ink on her neck. It was the same ink she had on her ribs. 

“She’s a serpent.”

“Yeah she is.”

“This is the third one this month.”

“Jesus Christ.” They gave each other a look.

“You’re contaminating the crime scene.” A high-pitched voice said behind them caused them to spin around quickly.

“Who the hell are you?” The woman was in a full dark black power-suit with a bright red lipstick. It matched her bright red hair. 

“Cheryl Blossom, FBI. This is my assistant Betty Cooper,” she said pointing to a cute blonde in a tight ponytail. 

“I’m her partner, not her assistant.” Cooper quipped back. 

“This is officially a federal crime scene. We have jurisdiction here.” 

“Excuse me? Federal or not this is my crime scene Cherry.” Toni was a little turned on sure, but this woman was at the job where Toni was lead so she was gonna have to back off a bit. 

“It’s Cheryl,” she said as she stepped closer to Toni, almost on top of her. “And this is my territory now Cha Cha.”

***************************************************************

Toni barged into Sheriff FP’s office. She was furious at this redheaded vixen coming in and taking over her crime scene. Even swore the whole way to the station.

“FP! What’s with the feds at my scene?”

“Why hello Toni good morning to you, would you like some coffee.” He said as he calmly poured himself a large mug of coffee.

“What I  want is Agent Cherry Bomb off my case!”

“Well we can’t always get what we want Toni. She’s on the case. We’ve got three deaths in a three mile radius all in the span of three months. I don’t like this anymore than you do but we’ve got no choice.” He rubbed his forehead before taking a sip of the piping hot coffee. 

“Who leaked there was another body? We can handle this case ourselves, we don’t even know if it’s connected to the others yet.”

“If I know who leaked it I’d have the feds breathing down their neck instead of mine. You think I want Blondie and Jessica Rabbit up my ass all the time? She’s here to stay. And speak of the devil, she’s at your desk.” He took another large swig of coffee as he peered through his office window. 

“For fucks sake. Am I gonna have to stake my claim on my desk too?”

“I’d find out before she starts setting that pretty little butt up on all of your stuff.”

Toni grabbed her bag and stomped her way over to the desk that Cheryl was practically laying over.

“This is my desk.”

“I heard. Don’t you think that’s why I’m here?”

“What I think is that you should get out of here.”

Cheryl leaned forward. “But we have a case to solve, mon petit jouet.” 

The redhead quickly licked her bottom lip. It made Toni feel a rush of electricity go through her body. One she was used to during one-night stands - when the excitement of touching and being touched by a stranger heightened the senses - but she was not used to this feeling outside of the night. It made her back straighten and her eyes twitch. She felt that lick deep within her core. But she also felt that lick taunting her ego. This woman came into her world to play with her in front of co-workers. To tease her as though it was a game of cat and mouse and Toni was the one that was being hunted. She wanted to see if Toni would take the bait. But she’s not going to take Cheryl’s bait. She wants Cheryl to take her bait. 

Toni placed her hands on either sides of Cheryl’s legs on the desk and got close. 

“Well then let’s solve a case.”

She felt Cheryl slowly release a breath through her red stained lips. Toni smirked. 

****************************************************

“The girl in the freezer was Maisie Richards, 21. Her hands and feet were tied up and she was strangled to death before being shoved inside. Security was called to the building late in the night thinking it was just a robbery. They called us once they saw the blood scattered over the floor. Two of my guys saw the slightly opened freezer door and found her sitting upright against the tomatoes.”

Pictures of the crime scene and notes were covering the cork board in front of Cheryl and Toni. They were sitting across the conference table from each other with papers scattered around. Ever since Toni got up in Cheryl’s face she’s backed off and talked to Toni like a real human being. What a difference 12 hours makes. And maybe a little flirting too.

It was weird, these feelings Cheryl was pulling out of her. She was angry and frustrated and upset and horny. God was Cheryl making her horny. The idea of a challenge made Toni itch at the chance to conquer the other girl. It didn’t help that Cheryl brought her coffee this morning either, Toni couldn’t say no to free coffee. 

“And what did the coroner say the time of death was?”

Toni picked up a page in front of her. “About 9:30pm. There was partially digested food in her stomach. Her phone records put her at La Bonne Nuit at a 7.”

“Waiters at the restaurant put her having dinner with some guy in a black hoodie. We should go try and find him.”

“When did you talk to waiters?”

“Betty did it while you were whining about your desk.”

“She just went alone?”

“No she went with some hobo. The one with the camera and the weird hat.”

Toni didn’t know anyone was out interviewing witnesses. She definitely didn’t authorize Jughead to go galavanting around with Blondie either. Another step in the game of cat and mouse for Cheryl. 

“Don’t you think that was something that I should’ve known?” Toni pressed.

“Well that was something I had come to talk to you about yesterday but instead you had a pissy fit.”

“Well someone had to do something about letting you get those pretty little Louis Vuittons all over my stuff.”

“I couldn’t leave them on this dirty ass floor, now could I?”

Toni had to keep herself from snorting. The nerve of this woman to come into her station and judge it. 

“You know you don’t have to be here. We can handle the case just fine.”

“And miss the look on your face when I break the case? Oh darling I couldn’t miss that.”

Toni began sorting files on the table in front of her all while keeping her eyes locked on Cheryls who was lightly pressing her lips to a pen cap. They were playing the game with each other again - a game she is starting to enjoy maybe a little too much. It’s become distracting. 

“Toni! I’ve got the rest of the photos Jughead finished.”

She broke her eye contact from Cheryl and glanced up at one of her rookies, Veronica, standing in the doorway with photos in her hand. She ignored the slight eyebrow raise from V as she got up to grab the photos.

“You alright there boss?” 

“Not a word V.”

“Who’s the hottie?”

“She’s a fed and you know the rules, we aren’t supposed to fraternize with the feds so keep it in your pants.”

“Well does she know that? Cause she’s been checking you out this entire time.” 

Toni didn’t need to look back, she knew. She picked these pants out specifically because of how tight they were. Grey and pin-striped, they were basically made to showcase her ass. Plus there was actually no rule against the feds but if anyone was going to get Agent Cheryl Blossom out of her perfectly ironed black pant suit it was going to be Toni. 

She grabbed the photos from Veronica and made her way back to the table all while catching Cheryl watching her out of the corner of her eye. 

“Here are some close ups Jughead got yesterday.”

Cheryl picked up a picture of the strangle marks around the girl’s neck. They were harsh, purple, and looked painful.

“This was a sloppy kill. Almost as sloppy as the prison cell you call a break room.”

Toni tried hard to not roll her eyes. She really tried.

“How can you tell?”

“Well I mean the walls are all brick and I think the only color you guys know is stainless steel.”

“The murder, Cheryl. How do you know about the sloppy murder.”

Cheryl stopped and readjusted herself a bit knowing that she got on Toni’s nerves. 

“Well look at how purple these marks are, he was frustrated at something. Maybe she put up more of a fight than he was expecting. Maybe he had a personal vendetta against her, or maybe he just ran out of time.” Toni followed Cheryl’s finger as she traced the marks on the picture. 

“Ran out of time? What do you mean?”

“If he killed her about 9:30 that means other people would be around. Someone could have seen or heard something. They made a mess of the restaurant so lord knows what people could hear from outside.”

Toni looked down at some of the other close ups in front of her. The dark purples around the girl’s neck and the harsh red lines around her wrists stood out against the blue tone of photos. They were so dark they almost blended into the black ink of her tattoo. Toni ran a finger around its curves.

“We should ask around the tattoo shops to see who’s done a snake lately.”

“Don’t need to, I know where she got this,” Toni responded quickly. 

“Well where did she get it from because there’s no way an amateur would be able to get that level of detail,” Cheryl said as she put down one of the photos she was still holding.

“She was part of a gang called the Serpents. They hang out in the south side of town. Don’t really get up to much but kids like to say they’re part of something badass.”

Cheryl nodded and jotted down a note to herself. Toni didn’t feel the need to mention that she too had once been part of the gang and that Serpents didn’t shed their skin. 

“I noticed the other two victims had this same tattoo as well. Were you going to share that information with me Nancy Drew or were you just going to make me figure that out by myself?” Cheryl challenged. 

“I was getting to that.”

“I bet.”

“Look I don’t know what’s going on but it seems the killer is targeting young members of this gang. None of these kids seem to be older than 25 and they’ve all been found in some kind of freezer. First two were in their own freezer, last one in the restaurant’s freezer. Only difference between those deaths and Maisie’s was the amount of blood we found, but given the limited lacerations on her body I wonder if some of the blood will come back as the killer’s.”

“Given the size of the victims and where they were found the killer is most likely male, probably early 50s,” Toni continued. “He has to have some kind of access to the Serpents, either was wronged by them or was maybe even a former member looking for some revenge.” She shivered. She didn’t like the thought of a Serpent doing this to his own. 

“Cause of death was strangulation for the other two victims, correct?” Cheryl asked as she made some more notes on a paper.

Toni nodded. “Yes, the first with a baseball bat we found next to the body and the second with the victim’s own shirt.”

“Interesting.”

“He’s not sticking with a specific murder weapon, so that doesn’t help us.”

“Actually it does. A lack of a choice in weapon can mean that the victims found him non-threatening and allowed him to get that close to them or it can mean that the murder was not on his mind when he met his victims and then some kind of confrontation ended in murder.”

Toni blinked in surprise. Cheryl had a point. Her intelligence was both hot and irritating. 

“Did you and Betty happen to find out why the restaurant was closed last night? I know it’s not Pop’s but everything’s usually pretty full on a Sunday.” Toni said, trying to change the direction of the conversation. 

“We haven’t heard back from the owner yet, a guy named Hiram Lodge. Betty left a few calls over the last couple of hours.”

“Yeah good luck with that. Dude owns everything in town.”

“Well isn’t that just peachy.” Cheryl made yet another note on the page in front of her. 

“I think we should get the team together and start figuring out who she met with that night.”

“I think I’ve got it covered.” Cheryl stood up and gathered her notes. “Ta-Ta for now Cha-Cha.”


	2. Part 2

“She’s pissing me off.”

Toni aggressively took another bite out of her granola bar as she sat in the break room with Veronica and Kevin. They shared a look over Toni’s head at the tiny, frustrated boss.

“And how else is she making you feel?”

Veronica’s question made Toni stop for a second.

“What do you mean?”

“Toni I’ve seen you mad and this isn’t mad. This is like, tense. Like either you and Agent hottie are gonna fight each other or fuck each other. You guys are filling the room with so much sexy tension Jughead might have to take off his hat off to deal with the heat.”

“Oh shut up Kevin you don’t know anything about sexy tension. I saw you eye fucking some mac and cheese last week.”

“Hey that mac and cheese was so good I almost put my dick in it.”

“We know Kev,” Veronica chipped in. “We all saw.”

Kevin sat back in his chair and crossed her arms at his friends teasing. Toni took another bite from her bar. Cheryl Blossom has only been in her life for less than 24 hours and yet she seems to be all that’s on Toni’s mind. Her hair, her lips, her attitude, her intelligence. Or maybe it was the way Cheryl had come in and taken over her world. Toni was at the top of the homicide department and felt invincible. Now she feels like she’s two steps behind the redhead and struggling to catch up.

She jumped up suddenly from the table remembering the conversation she had with Cheryl earlier in the morning. She could tell by the notes Cheryl was taking where she and Betty were probably headed and Toni and Sweet Pea needed to get their asses on the road if they were going to solve this case before the feds. 

“I’ve gotta go.”

“No shit boss.”

“Oh go fuck your mac and cheese Kevin.”

****************************************************************

“Well that was rough.” Sweet Pea said as he and Toni slipped back into his police car. 

They had spent the last three hours walking around the crime scene and the surrounding areas to see if anybody had seen anything. They barely got any useful information from the session, let alone a hello. 

“Tell me about it,” Toni sighed as Sweet Pea pulled off onto the street. 

“You wanna call it quits for today? I’ve got some paperwork I gotta get done anyway.”

“Yeah that’s fine.” 

She was frustrated at the lack of witnesses, at the lack of clues, and at the fact that Cheryl and Betty were probably dominating this case at the moment. She had such motivation and drive at lunch and the lack of anything useful was crushing her ego bit.

“Hey Tiny your phone’s ringing.” Sweet Pea broke her out of her moment of thinking and she glanced down at the ringing phone in her hand.

“Topaz.”

“You’ve got another one kid. Body was found in an icebox in a warehouse at the corner Main and Temple.” 

“Jesus Christ. Same MO?”

“He was found in a fucking freezer kid, what do you think?”

Toni sighed and disconnected the call. 

“We’ve got another one Sweet Pea.”

“Already heading over there boss.”

Toni closed her eyes and rested her head back against the headrest. Another dead body means the killer is picking up the pace and Toni owes it to the people of Riverdale to keep them safe by catching this monster. 

Her focus really went out the window when Cheryl arrived. Well, maybe before that. She was excited when she first was promoted to homicide detective. More responsibility, darker cases, a greater sense of creating a difference in the community. Now though, nothing feels like a challenge. She’s breezing through her work and the outcomes are showing it. Cases are taking longer to close. Toni is using more alcohol and sleeping with practically every woman in town to deal with the stress. 

“Looks like your least favorite twins beat us here.”

Toni opened her eyes to see locks of red and blonde standing outside of the warehouse. It looked like Cheryl and Betty were waiting for Sweet Pea and Toni to show up. Toni took one final deep breath before exiting the car and facing Cheryl head on. 

“You’re late.”

“I think we’re all late, somebody is already dead,” Toni threw back at Cheryl’s comment.

“Dark. I like it.” Betty chimed in.

“Not now cousin,” Cheryl practically bit back at Betty.

“Shall we ladies?” Sweet Pea said as he pointed towards the door of the warehouse.

Toni pushed forward into the space that was now full of police officers and a crime screen crew.

“It smells like something died in here.” Sweet Pea quipped from the back. He means well but…yeah he’s not the best at filtering his words. 

“Someone did die in here you Hobgoblin.”

They all stopped in front of the icebox and examined the man that was stuffed inside. His skin and lips were blue, his hair and eyebrows had ice formed on the tips, and he looked scared. Just scared.

Toni heard the snap of a latex glove and looked over to see Cheryl bending down to examine the body up close.

“Trauma to the left cranium and what looks like a broken nose. No visible strangulation marks around the neck but there’s something in his mouth,” she said as she started to pull something out of the victims mouth. “Looks like a handkerchief. And a cheap one at that.” 

Toni crouched down next to Cheryl - who smelled fantastic by the way - and watched as Cheryl stretched out the hanky. 

“Death by hanky is different,” Sweet Pea added from behind the women.

“Look there’s a snake in the corner,” Toni said as she carefully pointed to the bottom right where Cheryl’s hand was gripping the cloth. 

“You think it’s another Serpent death?” asked Cheryl.

“Could be, or it’s the killer’s and they just gave us a huge clue as to where to look.”

*************************************************************

“Let’s go I need a drink.” Toni slammed her hands down on Jughead’s desk making him jump in response. 

“I’ve still got paperwork to do,” he gestured down to the pages in front of them.

“Don’t care, finish them tomorrow. I need a drink and I want to go out.”

“This case is really gettin’ to you, huh?”

“Yeah Jug, Serpents are getting killed and no one wants to talk. They’ve scattered and are mourning which means less are willing to give me some information.”

“I’d recommend getting them to crack before the Bride of Chucky tries to get in there. We both know Fangs will eat her alive.”

Toni rolled her eyes.

“I highly doubt that, I think Cheryl has killed a man just by glaring.”

-

Toni and Jughead stepped into the club and were hit with the dark vibrations of the dance floor. Music was pumping, drinks were being poured, and several ladies were catching Toni’s eyes. She had a good feeling about being able to let loose tonight. 

“I’ll grab us some beers.”

“I’ll go find the boys.”

Toni and Jughead split up and Toni made her way over to the bar in between groups of people who were already a few deep.

“You want the usual Toni?” The bartender yelled over the music at the small woman. She nodded and let her eyes scan over the bar to land on the one person she was trying to decompress from. Cheryl Blossom herself was sitting at the bar drinking a glass of white wine in a black mesh crop top and bright red leather jacket. She looked hot.

Really hot.

The bartender slid over the beers and a couple of shots “on the house” as Toni tore her eyes from the redhead. She was trying to calm down from the stress of having Cheryl barge into her life and now Toni was getting all hot and bothered at the sight of her. She downed her shot before even leaving the bar and grabbed the other drinks to bring back to Jughead and the boys. All that she hoped was Cheryl didn’t notice Toni staring earlier or that she was currently trying, and not really succeeding, at slipping away from the bar. 

“Toni you wanna get in on this bet?” Sweet Pea said as she finally made it over to a table to boys were standing against. “Fangs and I are betting that Jugs can’t get blondie on the dance floor and he seems to think this dirty ass crown of his is going to get him the girl.”

“Hey what have I said about fraternizing with the feds?”

“You and Red have created so much sexual tension in the office that I’m worried Fangs is gonna start penetrating the doughnuts in the break room.”

“Oh fuck off Sweet Pea.”

The boys laughed as Toni took a long swig of her beer. Sure she’s definitely felt a certain kind of way towards Cheryl, but they have a job to do. She knows that. Well, her head knows it. Her vagina on the other hand? Not playing along currently. Definitely not now that she’s seen Cheryl out of that sexy pant suit and into that fucking hot leather. Toni took another big sip. 

“Boys place your money on the table now ‘cause I’m gonna go get Betty to dance with me.”

“Yeah right.” “I’ll do it when I see it.”

Jughead went off back through the crowd towards Cheryl and Betty who were still sitting at the bar sipping on their wine. Apparently though the attention of the boys was still on Toni.

“Seriously though are you and Red gonna scissor or what?”

Toni gently (not really) smacked Fangs with the back of her hand.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t say dumb things.” Toni finished off the rest of her drink and then downed Fangs’ shot. “I’m going to go dance. Keep an eye out.”

“Aye aye captain,” they responded basically in sync and Toni took off for the dance floor.

She needed this night for the chance to just dance and let out her frustrations from the last few days. She was tired, hurting for her old gang, and angry that a killer was making their way through Riverdale. She was frustrated at Cheryl and the way the redhead wouldn’t escape her mind. It seemed like the color red was bleeding into her and she couldn’t figure out how to get it to stop. Subconsciously she didn’t know if she actually wanted it to stop.

Toni felt the bass of the funky R&B music pumping through her veins as she let her body sway to the music. Her hips matched the beat of the drums as her hands ran over her own body. The alcohol was starting to create the buzz she had been craving all day and she was ready to let it take over her moves for the next few hours. 

As she flipped her hair back she spotted Jughead and Betty awkwardly dancing across the floor and turned, not really wanting to watch as either of them made a fool of themselves in the neon lights of the club. 

“Did you think really think I wasn’t going to spot you the second your pretty little ass walked into this club?” Toni heard whispered in her ear as someone slid up behind her. 

She recognized the voice of her ex-girlfriend and felt her body stop moving in time with the beat. It wasn’t a good relationship. It didn’t end well. Having her ex dancing behind her definitely wasn’t something she was comfortable with right now.

“Fuck off Laura.”

“Oh don’t be like that Toni. Look at you dressed all sexy for me, it’s just like old times.”

“I’m not here for you. I’m not dressed like this for you.”

“Then who is for.” Laura challenged, stepping closer into Toni’s space. 

“Babe the line at the bathroom was too long, I’ll just go later when we get home.” 

Toni looked back to see Cheryl confidently making her way through the crowd to her. As she reached them she lightly placed a reassuring hand on Toni’s shoulder blade and Toni let out a small breath she was holding. 

“Who the fuck are you, Ginger Spice?”

“What the fuck are you doing near my girlfriend, Night Hag?” Cheryl easily countered, sliding her strong arm around Toni’s waist now. 

“Whatever. Toni call me when you’re done with Clifford the Big Red Dog over here.”

“Enjoy whatever sewer you crawled out of rat!” Cheryl called back at Laura as she disappeared back into whatever corner she came out of. 

“Cheryl-“ 

“Don’t say anything.” Cheryl gripped Toni’s hand and pulled them into the middle of the dance floor. 

“But-“

“Shut up Toni,” Cheryl brought them to a halt and started moving to the music. Toni started swaying in response; maybe because she understood that Cheryl was helping her deal with the sudden reemergence of her ex-girlfriend, or maybe because the mix of sweaty, sexy people, alcohol that was currently fogging her judgement, and Cheryl - incredibly sexy looking Cheryl - was drawing her in. 

It seemed to be slow motion after that. Cheryl spinning around and continuing to move her hips in time with the music. Toni moving closer and matching her pace. Cheryl placing Toni’s hands over Cheryl’s hips. Cheryl reaching back and pulling Toni fully against her by the back of Toni’s head. Toni engulfed by the scent of Cheryl Blossom. 

Their lips seemed to get closer and closer together until…

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!”


	3. Part 3

They stopped. In fact, everything stopped. As the music cut out they heard the screams again.

“PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP!”

The screaming caused everyone on the dance floor to scatter, all of them scared of an unknown danger. Cheryl and Toni pushed their way through the crowd towards the screaming, followed closely behind by the boys and Betty. They made it back towards the bar before hearing more of the screams. 

“It’s this way, come on!” Cheryl gripped Toni’s left hand and pulled her into the back of the club towards the bathrooms. There was blood covering the floor.

“Jughead, call for backup! Betty, Sweet Pea go get everyone to safety! Cheryl and I are going to figure out what’s going on!” Toni yelled over the chaos in the club. 

“You have no protection!” Yelled Betty.

“You know I always carry J.J., cousin,” Cheryl barked back as she pulled a small hand gun from inside her leather jacket. Toni was both impressed and embarrassed she didn’t think of doing the same thing. 

“Enough talking, let’s go!” one of the boys yelled as they started to split into pairs. 

Cheryl and Toni gave each other a look before they followed the blood droplets that were scattered over the floor. They had seemed small and spread out at the beginning of the bar but as they continue to move to the bathrooms there is more and more blood covering the ground. Suddenly, another scream.

“Men’s bathroom, let’s go!” Cheryl busted open the door with a hard kick right underneath the handle. 

“Freeze, FBI!” Cheryl pointed her gun into the bathroom.

Instead of seeing someone being attacked or catching a perpetrator trying to escape them, all the women found was a severely battered man and a trail of blood going up the bathroom wall and out the window. 

“Fangs!” Toni cried out as she got closer to the bleeding victim. His eyes were basically swollen shut, his nose was definitely broken and leaking and there were a few gashes in his torso but Toni recognized him anyway. 

“Goddammit!” Cheryl said from across the room. 

“We’ve gotta put pressure on your wounds, Fangs. Keep breathing with me.” Toni ripped off the rest of Fangs’ tattered shirt and placed pressure to the gashes marking his body. 

“Toni,” came a whimper from Fangs. 

“Cheryl tell them to get an ambulance. Fangs don’t you stop breathing on me!” The women could hear Fangs struggling to breath through the blood that was clogging his throat. “Fangs?”

Toni felt around for his pulse and noticed how dramatically it started to drop. 

“Come on Fangs!” Two breaths of air were pushed into his lungs by Toni. 

“Come on buddy, come on!” She was small but she was going to put as much effort into performing CPR.

Two more breaths into his lungs. 

She was on the edge of tears now, trying her best at working on Fangs. Nothing seemed to be working though and every time she checked his pulse it continued to drop. 

“Fangs … Fangs please!” She was actually crying now as she pumped his chest again and again and again. 

“Toni! Toni they’re here!” Cheryl grabbed Toni off of Fangs’ body and pulled her away as paramedics flew into the room and took over life-saving measures on Moose. 

Toni was barely present though, breathing hard and covered in her old friend’s blood. Cheryl held Toni up against the wall and began speaking at her, hoping that Toni would come back to reality and back to Cheryl. 

“Toni it’s ok, he’s going to be ok,” she whispered.

Toni didn’t hear Cheryl at all, she was focused on the paramedics placing Fangs on a stretcher and wheeling him out of the small club bathroom. She attention was finally switched to the redhead once he was out of the room.

“Toni?”

Toni laid her head back against the wall and focused on slowing down her harsh breathing. 

“You need a minute?” Cheryl said softly and Toni opened her eyes. She was met with a concerned look from Cheryl’s brown ones. Toni nodded and was gently released from Cheryl’s grip.

She glanced back down to where she had been performing CPR on a dying Fangs just moments before. There was a dark red pool of blood that matched the dark red that stained her tiny hands. She felt numb; he was just sitting with them, safe and sound, not even 20 minutes before. When had he left the table? Where did he go? Was he attacked? Did he see something bad happen and step in? Was he picking fights again? She could feel her brain start going into overdrive.

Who did he get attacked by? He’s a Serpent, was he going to be another victim of the killer? The killer escaped, they could see that, but with the blood trails could the killer have been injured himself? Did anyone else get attacked? Was Fangs going to survive?

Toni felt a hand slide up and onto her shoulder. She broke her gaze with the floor. 

“I can literally smell your brain working right now.”

Toni snorted. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up and go figure out where the others are.” But, Toni shook her head no. She didn’t want to get rid of Fangs’ blood, there could be a chance that the killer’s blood was also on her body. Plus, she wanted them to see the damage and the danger that the killer still possessed. And it could create some motivation to solve this case. 

“Let’s go find the others. I wanna make sure they’re safe.” She didn’t wait for Cheryl’s response, she just made her way - carefully - around the blood and out the door. 

“Jughead! Sweet Pea!” She called out into the now fully lit club. There were Riverdale cops everywhere and she spotted her friends in the corner. 

“Where are you hurt?” “I need to go be with Fangs.”

“Sweet Pea go, I want updates every 5 minutes until I get there,” Toni shooed Sweet Pea off and turned towards Jughead. “This is Fangs’ blood. Mostly. Cheryl followed a path that went out the window so he could have injuries of his own. Someone should go around back and see if there’s anymore blood out there. Get me someone to collect a sample from me, the bathroom, and grab all of Fangs’ blood from the hospital - I don’t want them throwing out evidence like last time.”

She was stern. Her voice felt in control. Her body was on the edge of breaking down but she couldn’t do so in front of her team. Definitely not in front of Cheryl. 

“You got it boss. Let me know when you want to head over and see Fangs, I’ll come with.”

He left then, sending over one of the forensics guys to grab some swabs from her hands. As she was getting cleaned she noticed that Cheryl hadn’t left her side. She was appreciative.

“You’re all set Toni, I’ll go grab some swabs from the bathroom too.”

“Make sure you swab the wall under the window too.” 

He nodded and went off, leaving just Cheryl and Toni by themselves. 

-

“You really need to get that blood off the leather before it ruins it,” were the first words Cheryl said since they had gotten back to the station. Toni needed to clean her hands and change her clothes in a place that didn’t remind her of Fangs right now. 

“Thank you Cheryl,” Toni bit back, probably much more aggressively than she should have. She sighed at her poor choice in a response as she continued to scrub at her hands. “Thank you… you know for being here. I don’t think I want to be alone right now. Not while being in the dark about Fangs.” She looked up into the bathroom mirror and caught Cheryl’s eyes staring right at her.

“I know what it’s like to lose someone in the line of duty. I hope that the outcome for your friend is better than the outcome that was for mine.”

Toni turned off the water and grabbed a paper towel to start drying her hands. For all the cold and bitchiness that Cheryl has given her the last few days she really wasn’t expecting this level of sympathy from the redhead. 

“You can head home if you want, I’m just gonna change into my spare clothes and head to the hospital to check on Fangs. All Sweet Pea said was they were still in surgery with him.” Toni looked up to see Cheryl glaring at her with her arms crossed.

“Do you really think I can just go home and sleep after watching you have your hands wrist deep in your friend?” 

Toni shrugged.

“I’m coming with. If he pulls through-“

“ _When_ he pulls through.”

“ _When_ he pulls through we can get some information about what happened to him.”

“Fine. But I’m giving you my old sweatshirt to put on.”

-

“I look like high schooler that dropped out to earn money on instagram.”

“Cheryl, you look fine. We’re going to the hospital, not New York’s Fashion Show.”

“Just because you dress like a tween with a bank account doesn’t mean that I have to.”

“I don’t even know what that means,” Toni responded as she slid on the sneakers she keeps under her desk. She felt much calmer now that she got rid of the blood stained clothes that are now in a bag waiting for her to clean when she finally gets home. If she gets home. Now with this Fangs incident she has motivation to find whoever is taunting her town. 

“Let’s go.”

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Cheryl, Jesus Christ."


	4. Part 4

“He’s out now,” they heard the doctor say as they were all slumped together in the corner of the ER’s waiting room.

Ever since Toni and Cheryl had arrived at the hospital their moods changed into something of melancholy for their hurt friend. 

“How is he? Is he gonna be ok doc?” Sweet Pea was the first to stand and make a move towards the doctor.

“He’s…recovering. The stab wounds were pretty deep but whoever had gotten to him first put enough pressure to slow down the blood flow. It gave us just enough time to stabilize him.”

Toni let out a long, quiet breath at the doctor’s words. She was trying to focus on her job but in the back of her mind all she could think about was if she got to Fangs in enough time. Or if she had taken too much time. Or if she hadn’t left the table so she could watch him. She felt Cheryl put a soft hand on her shoulder and it took everything in her not to nuzzle it. She needed comfort right now and the redhead could sense it.

“He’ll need to stay here for the next few days so we can keep an eye on him but he’s been beating the odds so far so I have a good feeling he’ll be able to finish recovering at home.”

“Thanks doc,” Sweet Pea said as he outstretched his hand to the man that saved his best friend’s life. Toni’s never seen him so polite before but Fangs also hasn’t almost died before so apparently anything can happen. 

“Sweet Pea you go to his room first. We don’t want to be overbearing right out of surgery. We’ll switch when you’re done.”

Sweet Pea nodded at Toni’s words and walked off down the hallway in search of his injured friend.

“I think you guys should see this,” Jughead said as soon as Sweet Pea had disappeared down the hall. “Someone took a video last light during the chaos.”

Cheryl and Toni leaned in to watch the shaky phone video that was taken just a few hours before. The background noise was mostly screams and heavy breathing of the club goers trying to find safety - and then the camera turned and followed someone who looked very much out of place from the rest of the crowd. He was wearing a black hoodie, one that looked very similar to the ones that were described by witnesses, and running from the back of the club where the restrooms were located. Toni grabbed the phone and pulled it closer to their faces. 

“Holy shit is this our guy?”

“Maybe. Can’t really be certain but he certainly came from the same area as the crime scene. And he’s got that black hoodie. It couldn’t hurt if we go pay that guy a visit.”

Cheryl gave Jughead a confused look.

“Sorry, is this town so small you can identify people just by their sweatshirts? Because there is no way you can get a clear view of his face and he is built like every high school football star I’ve ever seen.”

“Relax Veronica Mars, I know we can’t see his face but Fangs is alive and is no chance he didn’t see his attacker.”

“How did you get this video?” Toni asked to break the tension.

“Found it online. Some idiot posted it to his Instagram story and I screen recorded it before they took it down,” Betty butt in from next to Jughead. 

“Speaking of idiots, looks like Sweatshirt is a big one.” Toni turned Jughead’s phone back around to Jug who looked at the text message that Toni had seen pop up on the screen. 

The text, from an unsaved number, showed a picture of a black tattered sweatshirt laying on the ground in the middle of a pile of sticks and dead grass - probably getting ready to set it on fire. There was another message with the picture that said **_check this out boss. looks like someone’s at the old bunker._**

“It seems so. I’m gonna go make a call.” And with that Jughead was off to get more information.

“What the hell was that?” Cheryl asked Toni.

“An informant. Looks like he might’ve stumbled on something.”

“Evidence?”

“And maybe a hideout. The hoodie was dropped over by the Serpent’s old bomb-shelter-turned-bunker. I wonder if we could break in and see what we could find.”

“So we’re looking for a Serpent then?” Betty chimed in. 

Cheryl jumped a bit. “Jesus we need to put a bell on you.”

“We can’t cross them off but I hardly doubt it’s a Serpent. They moved their headquarters to a trailer a couple miles from the bunker after they lost a few Serpents in a pretty bad brawl with the other gang in town. The Serpent King thought the area was cursed and now none of them want to go back over there. Some of them go back there every once in awhile if they don’t want the King to find out what crimes they’re planning.”

“This town is so fucking weird,” Cheryl said. “As much as I love how totally sketchy everybody is we need to go talk to Fangs to figure out if we saw anything what would distinguish our killer from everyone else before he attacks again. He’s getting angrier and sloppier - I mean fuck he’s not even waiting to get his victims alone anymore. And working with the information that he has dark hair and an athletic build narrows it down to DILFS and teenagers that look 40. You better tell your snake friends to stay inside T.T.”

Betty and Toni gave Cheryl a look.

“What? Just because I’m a proud lesbian doesn’t mean I can’t point out hot dads. Get off my silicone dick.”

Jughead made it back into the room with the others looking both annoyed and excited. Toni could never tell which expression was which. 

“We’ve got a couple of witnesses. Said they saw a few things but aren’t really giving up any information.”

“I know how to grease ‘em. Come on Jug, we’ve got people to interview.” Betty said as she made a beeline for the door.

“Damn does that girl ever take a break?” Toni asked.

“No,” Cheryl and Jughead said at the same time. Jughead smirked. Cheryl audibly gagged.

As Jughead started making his way out to follow Betty Cheryl called after them.

“I swear to god you better keep your hands to yourself you Hobo, these family genes aren’t going to be ruined by a trash can monster in a hat!”

Instead of saying anything back Jughead turned and wiggled his fingers at Cheryl. She flipped him off. Toni almost giggled.

“Tiny.”

Cheryl and Toni turned to Sweet Pea who made it back into the room. 

“He’s awake now. Wants to see you.”

Toni nodded.

“Heads up - his shit looks gnarly dude. I’m gonna beat the shit out of the guy that did this.”

“We’ll get him Pea. Don’t you worry about that.” Toni tapped Sweet Pea’s chest and reached backwards for Cheryl’s hand without even thinking. She felt Cheryl’s warm hand grasp hers and they made their way down the hallway towards Fangs. She stopped them in front of the door though. 

“Toni?”

“I’ve never seen him hurt before. Even while taking beatings or that time he threw his body over mine during that fight in the bar, I never saw him even fucking wince.” Memories of Fangs came flooding into her mind as she stood staring at his hospital room door. 

“T.T. nothing I say to you is going to make you feel better, but you need to go in there and see him. You saved his life. I’ll be right outside if things get too heavy for you. He may not look the best right now but he’s still Fred.”

“Fangs.”

“Whatever.” 

Toni gave Cheryl’s hand a squeeze and exhaled before heading inside.

“Fangs?” Toni whispered to the figure in the bed as she stepped into the dimly lit room. There were bandages covering his head, tubes coming out of body, and he was positioned sitting slightly up in the bed. Toni tried to not let the tears gather in her eyes. She was a detective dammit. 

“Tiny is that you?” came a croaky voice from the bed.

“It’s me Fangs, I’m right here,” Toni said as she rounded the bed and gently grabbed onto his right hand that was laying on top of the sheet.

“I can’t really open my eyes.”

“I can see that.”

“I’m glad someone here can see.” 

Toni almost began sobbing at his joke. Only Fangs would try and crack a joke to make her feel better even though he had basically came from his deathbed.

“He got me pretty good, huh?”

“We’re gonna get him Fangs. We’re gonna get this guy that tried to attack you,” she said with a shaky voice. She was doing everything she could not to sound like she was crying for him. “Did you happen to notice anything about him? Anything that stood out? Or was familiar?” Toni didn’t want to push for information but if they kept talking about how bad Fangs was hurt she might break down onto the floor. 

“I don’t…I don’t remember much. I was takin a piss, and I felt like there was someone behind me watching. I can’t remember if I turned to him or he turned me but all I remember is feeling something go into my stomach. I looked at his face but it was covered with some kind of mask thing but he felt familiar. Like I’ve definitely seen those eyes before. But then the only thing I remember is looking up at you over me and talking. You saved me Toni,” he tried to squeeze her hand but it was all bruised and battered and swollen. Toni made a mental note that Fangs fought back against his attacker which means he probably had some bruises too.

“You and I both know I need you to grab things off the tall shelves Fangs.”

He laughed but it quickly turned into a moan of pain.

“Don’t make me laugh you asshole that hurts.” 

Toni gave another glance over Fangs’ body. He was in really bad shape but if anybody was going to make a full recovery it was him.

“I wish I could give you more information Toni. I want you to catch this fuck before he tries to do this to someone else. At least he didn’t put me in a freezer.”

“I don’t think anyone wants a Fangs popsicle.”

“That’s not funny.”

She giggled at him.

“I just don’t know what person could just attack out of the blue. Like I didn’t even do anything to this dude, I was just pissing. Unless he was jealous of my hog.”

“You literally almost died I don’t think this is the time to make a joke about your dick size.”

“It’s always time for dick jokes.” He could really open his eyes to look at Toni but she saw his eyebrows go up as if he was making a face at her.

“Speaking of dick sizes, when are you gonna grow your lady one out and ask out the hot fed?”

“Are you kidding?” Toni almost backed away from him.

“Come on Tiny, I’m gonna be out of the game for awhile, let me live vicariously through you. We both know you got game, now tame the fiery redhead.”

“I’m kinda shocked you know that big of a word.”

“Plus she’s been looking over in here at you this entire time.”

“I thought you couldn’t see.”

“I can squint. I can see her looking over here at you like the fun-sized snack that you are. Maybe she wants to see if you’ll melt in her mouth.”

“Jesus Christ Fangs.” She rolled her eyes and blushed a little bit. “I need to catch this guy that did this to you and the other Serpents before I even think about getting into someone’s pants.”

“Fine, but promise me you’ll take Little Red Riding Hood for a joy ride after you get this guy.”

He shakily raised his pinky at Toni who just wrapped her whole fist around it to appease him. 

“Ok, now get the fuck out I’ve earned myself a nap,” he said as his body sagged into the bed. Toni leaned over and pressed a kiss to his temple and saw him smile, then made her way out of his room with tears now dried on her cheeks and a weight lifted off her shoulders.

“He tell you anything good?” Cheryl asked as Toni made it back out into the hallway. 

“A few things.”

“Care to share with Little Red Riding Hood then?”

Toni’s eyes went wide. 


End file.
